Official Motto: “Eureka!”
Suggested Motto: “The Nuttiest Place on Earth”
Two Truths and a Lie
The Recipe - Four Nut Laceys
California’s orchards produce 90% of the nation’s tree nut crop. The state has not one, but four official state nuts: almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and pecans. I used all of them for my lacey cookies. Laceys, similar to Florentines, are nothing more than a thin dough, which is mostly caramel, holding together bits of chopped nuts. (And sometimes oats and dried fruit) The dough melts quickly in the oven’s heat leading to a thin, porous wafer.
To honor Californians’ reputation as a bunch of tree-hugging, animal-loving, health-conscious lefties, I replaced the honey and butter found in most recipes with golden syrup and coconut oil. I also abstained from wheat flour, so these cookies were vegan and gluten-free.
They turned out so well! I am not vegan so I paired them with a big glass of milk. Vegans, please forgive me, but the cookies were perfect with a creamy glass of the good stuff. (Also, California leads the nation in milk production.)
Want to experience California for yourself? Then Teresa recommends ...
There’s more to California than the beaches, but the beaches are really, really great. (Especially around La Jolla, see below) The Getty Center defies description, but I’ll try -- it’s a mountain top full of art museums, gardens, and fountains. I happily spent a day there and would love to return. San Francisco is lovely too, I trekked from downtown to the Golden Gate on a sunny and pleasant January afternoon. Many great (and less than great) books are set in California, I am particularly fond of Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” and Tan’s “Joy Luck Club.”
Time for the whole truth
People in Idaho drink more wine per capita than anywhere else in the nation; California isn't even in the top five.
(By the way, you can click on any of the 2 truths and a lie statements to visit the source of the trivia)
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